Thumbs up: To Immanuel St. Joseph’s — Mayo Health System for being one of five companies in the state to receive a workplace award from The Minnesota Psychological Association.

The award is to recognize ISJ for practices that make it a better place for employees to work. One of the noteworthy methods ISJ uses to accomplish that is offering conversation courses that teach people and groups how to address disagreements and other problems at work effectively. Another method is an employee-assistance program that offers help in solving personal problems ranging from dealing with a death in a family to financial concerns. In addition, hospital officials say the company’s “transparency” about its direction and priorities were things the association’s committee noticed during its evaluation.

Like every workplace, ISJ probably isn’t perfect, but it is enlightening to see such a large employer is paying attention to its employees’ needs.

Cancer study compromise was needed

Thumbs up: To Democrats in the Minnesota Legislature and Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty for finding common ground on important legislation that will fund a detailed study of cancer among miners in Northern Minnesota.

Dozens of miners on the Iron Range have been hit with mesothelioma, a particularly aggressive and devastating form of lung cancer. The Legislature and the governor came up with a compromise plan that will allocate $4.9 million to study the incidence of the cancer among iron miners and screen workers and families for signs of the deadly cancer.

Plans for the study had been in jeopardy when the governor and DFL lawmakers came to an impasse on how to fund the study. At one point, the governor wanted the funds to come from an iron range economic development fund, and DFLers wanted it to come from the state’s worker’s compensation fund.

In the end, they determined the money for the study was most appropriately allocated from a special insurance fund overseen by the Minnesota Department of Commerce. The University of Minnesota will conduct the study and screen families for the disease.

Ultimately, the need to help these families was more important than politics. The governor and DFLers recognized this, to their credit.

Good sportsmanship deserves recognition

Thumbs up: To sportsmanship, which is still practiced somewhere as evidenced by what occurred recently in a women’s fastpitch game between Western Oregon and Central Washington.

When Western Oregon player Sara Tucholsky swatted a game-winning home run against Central Washington, she hurt her knee rounding first base and crumpled to the ground. Two players from the other team picked her up and carried her around the bases — ensuring that by touching all the sacks Tucholsky’s home run would count.

No doubt, this incident might have occurred elsewhere. We like to think it would; that it’s important for most of us that it’s not just about winning, but about how we win. Victory on a technicality cheapens the result. Sometimes doing the selfless thing warms the heart even in defeat.

It’s a lesson for every athlete. Yes, even the professionals.

Voters choose wisely on school bond